


Lost & Found

by decolark



Category: Recovered_あんさんぶるスターズ！ | Ensemble Stars!
Genre: Brotherly/Familial, Gen, Ryuseitai Family AU, ryuseitai zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-18 02:55:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12379443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decolark/pseuds/decolark
Summary: Tetora couldn't stand another lecture, another argument, another stupid hero reference he didn’t understand, so he threw some stuff into his backpack and left.





	Lost & Found

**Author's Note:**

> This is my piece in the Ryuseitai zine! Special thanks to Emi and Suto; this would not be here if not for the two of them. Thank you for checking it out.

“Tetora? Tetora, hey, where are you go--”

The door slammed shut behind him as he tossed his bag over his shoulder.  He hurried through the gate, scrubbing the last remnants of tears from his eyes.

Stupid Chiaki. Who does he think he is! Dad? No, he tries to pretend, but all he is is just a naggy, annoying, stupid older brother. Tetora couldn't stand another lecture, another argument, another stupid hero reference he didn’t understand, so he threw some stuff into his backpack and left.

*****

Sitting on a bench in a park far from home, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. It had been almost four days; his cellphone was dead from all the calls he had received (and ignored), he had been staying at manga cafés, he had not eaten a satisfying meal this entire time, and he was running out of money. In his haste, he must have forgotten to take his wallet, but maybe this was a sort of blessing in disguise, seeing as he could probably be tracked by his phone and bank card. Luckily, his jacket pocket had a bunch of cash he'd earned from doing chores around the neighbourhood, but now…

His hand scrabbled around the pocket as he sat forward again. Coins rolled in his palm.

 _Just barely short of the transit fare home, huh…_ Tetora thought before catching himself and shaking his head vigorously, _What am I saying! I can't go back there only after four days…_

His stomach growled almost in response. He laughed wearily to himself, standing up and pocketing his change.

 _I guess that's first,_ he put a finger to his chin, _Maybe there's somewhere I can wash dishes for a meal?_

Before he could even set off, however, a drop of water landed on his head, and then another. The downpour started from there and Tetora joined the stragglers scrambling for cover.

He ran as fast as he could, but, even so, he was soaked to the bone by the time he slid to a stop under the awning of a small restaurant. He swept his wet bangs off his face, looking at the miserable reflection of himself in the store window.

_Man, this sucks. Now I'm cold and dripping wet too._

He sighed resignedly and pushed the door open. Maybe he could work a little here, or at least get some hot tea.

“Hello…” he called as he entered, and blinked, a little surprised.

The man at the counter, who glanced up when the chime above the door rang, did not match the cozy, homestyle cooking restaurant image at all. His fiery red hair with some black was done up and his muscular physique totally screamed manly and delinquent to Tetora. It was cool, but… He was also wearing a clashing patterned apron. The boy just didn't know how to feel other than vaguely confused.

He was still wondering when a towel was tossed at him, and he caught it reflexively, thrown out of his thoughts.

“Sit,” the man said gruffly as he moved towards the kitchen, jerking his chin to a small two seater table.

“U-um, I--” It was too sudden for him; he was totally unprepared to answer. What should he say first? Thank you? I don't have money? You're really cool?

“Sit,” he cut in firmly, and Tetora sat without another word.

He draped his jacket over the back of his chair, dropping his equally soggy backpack next to it. He wiped his arms and face while he waited for the man to come back. His shirt stuck to his skin, and he tugged at his collar to peel it away from his body, wishing he could take it off and wring it out at least, but that was hardly appropriate right now.

A savoury smell wafted from the kitchen as Tetora towelled off his hair. He leaned over the menu lying open on the table, eyes scanning for what the man could be making.

“Urgh,” he involuntarily made a noise when he saw carrots listed as an ingredient. It's not like he could tell the cook he couldn't stand them and dreaded the near future of choking down the vegetable.

“Order up.” A steaming plate clacked onto the table, “No carrots.”

“Huh…?” Tetora’s head bobbed up and down, looking back and forth between the food and the man, “B-but I didn't order anything? And, how did you know I don’t...?”

The other took a seat across from him, chin on one fist.

*****

_“Welcome,” Kuro called as the chime sounded, stepping out of the back._

_“Ah, hello,” a guy with tired, red rimmed brown eyes stood just inside the doorway, a small stack of papers in his arms. He held one of the flyers out to Kuro, “I was wondering… Have you seen my brother?”_

_Taking it, Kuro studied Tetora’s grinning face and the short paragraph of information under it, but shook his head, “Sorry. But, I'll keep an eye out.”_

_The man gave a sullen smile. “Thank you very much…” then he paused, “If I could trouble you for one more thing?”_

_“Hm?” Kuro motioned for him to go on._

_He held out a couple bills, “I'm sure he must be starving by now, so even if he doesn't want to come home or call, could you make him something to eat? He's a growing kid with a mountain of an appetite, but he left his wallet with me, so… Oh! He'll eat just about anything, but not carrots if you don't mind leaving them out…”_

*****

“By the looks of it, this isn't the only restaurant he's stopped at either.”

Tetora stayed silent, trying to will away the pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“He's worried sick about you, you know.”

A wireless phone was pushed towards him.

“Give him a call after you eat, would you.”

He suddenly felt like he had made a huge mistake. It’s not like Chiaki didn’t care about him. He was probably skipping work right now, fretting over how he didn’t have a single clue that Tetora was even still alive. So what if Chiaki’s dumb and won’t shut up? It’s not like Tetora himself was much easier to handle with this whole rebellious attitude and stupid, impulsive running away. And yet, his big brother still loves him with all his heart, and honestly, he loved him back.

Tears finally spilled over his cheeks as he nodded not trusting his voice. He grabbed a spoon, hoping that maybe shovelling food into his mouth would stem the crying.

(Or maybe he was just really hungry.)

 


End file.
